Elevator-car leveler



Dec. 11 1923.

E. B. THURSTON ELEVATOR CAR LEVELER Filed Oct. 4. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Dec. 11 1923.

E. B. THURSTON ELEVATOR CAR LEVELER Filed Oct 4, 1920 5 SheetsSheet 2affoznug Dec. 11, 1923.

E. B. THURSTON ELEVATOR CAR LEVELER -Filed Oct. 4, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5anemic Dec. 11 1923.

E. B. THURSTON ELEVATOR CAR LEVELER Filed Oct. 4, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Dec. 11, 1923. 1,477,156

E. B. THURSTON ELEVATOR CAR LEVELER Filed Oct. 4, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Jn uento'a Patented Dec. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES ERNEST THURSTON, OI TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAUGHTONELEVATOR &

1,477,156 PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE 00., OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELEVATOR-CAR LEVELER.

Application filed October 4, 1920. Serial No. 414,439.

I! '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST B. THURSTON,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, have invented new and usefulElevator-Car Levelers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to controlling a driving means for short traveldistances.

This invention has utility as a car leveler as to landings, inconnection with interlocking or cut-out and cut-in means for the normaldriving of an elevator car.

Referring to. the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a wiringdiagram showing an embodiment of the invention inconnection with an alternating electric current driven elevator havingan automatic gate opener and a. cut-in switch for operating the elevatorcar motor adjacent a landing;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with gate opening control with apedal; Fig. 2 is a view on a enlarged scale of features shown in thelower left hand corner of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the pedal gate control switch:

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of an embodiment in which the power gateactuation is controlled manually;

Fig. 4 is a. view on an enlarged scale of features shown in the lowerleft hand corner of Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of an embodiment, showing a range ofoperation for cutting in the motor in connection with a cutout as to agate landing, regardless of the landing gate being operated.

An elevator car 1 is herein shown as carrying a controller 2 manuallyoperable. This controller 2 has its central or main line 3 extending bylower over-travel hatch limit switch 4 normally maintained closed byspring thence by line 6 past upper overtravel hatch limit switch 7 toline 8 connected to power supply line 9.

Assuming that the car motor controller 2 is shifted to move the elevatorcar 1 upward in the well, the controller 2 will be shifted to theterminal 10, which, may thus connect through line 11 past final upperhatch limit switch 12, to line 13, to coil 14 of the main switch 15. toline 16 from the direction switch coils.

For effecting upward travel of the car 1,

the car controller 2 is further shifted to terminal 17 which isconnected by line 18 past final upper hatch limit switch 19, to line 20,to coil 21, thence to line 16. The coil 21 of up switch 22 accordinglyma be energized in parallel with the coil 14 o the main switch 15. Theremay be now thrown simultaneously not only the main switch 15 but the upswitch 22. This permits the three phase alternating current supply lineto energize the elevator motor. The main supply line 9 extends to themain switch 15, which in closed position allows current to flow to line24' to one coil of car motor 25. As the main switch 15 is closed, thesupply current from line 26 ma flow by this switch 15 and line 27 to thec osed switch 22 and thence by line 28 to the motor 25. Main supply line29 is connected by the closing of the switch 22 with power line 30 tothe motor 25, thereby getting the three phases of the alternatingelectric current to this car motor 25.

As herein shown the slip ring alternating current motor 25 is providedwith a starting resistance 31 interposed between the brushes of thismotor. The cutting out of this resistance is effected automatically byan accelerator motor 32 mounted on the shaft 33. This accelerator motorshaft has cams 34, 35, thereon and also a disc 36 carrying therewith afixed lug 37, which in the course of 180 travel may strike an abutment38 on a fixed support. Connected to the lug 37 on the disc 36 is a dashpot 39, leakage to which may be adjusted by a valve 40, therebyregulating the drag or retarding movement of this accelerator motor 32.When the controller 2 on the elevator car 1 is thrown to energize themain switch 15 and the up direction switch 22, a power current issupplied from the line 24 by line 41, and from the line 28 by line 42,as well as from the line 30 by line 43, to the three phases of thisaccelerator motor 32. Accordingly this accelerator motor 32 is energizedsimultaneously with the energizing of the main elevator motor 25. Thecam 34, by action of the accelerator motor, first cuts out a portion ofthe resistance 31, and then by further movement the cam 35 cuts outadditional resistance 31.

Simultaneously with the throwing of-the up direction switch 22 there ispermitted a flow of current from the line 30 by line 44 to main coil ofbrake 46 to release the spring .set brake 46, the current for this coil45 being completed by line 47 back to line 28. Accordingly the brake 46releases the shaft 48 of the main elevator motor 25 so that there may bedriving of drum 49, having cable 50 to car 1. This cable extends aroundthe drum 49 to a counter-weight 51 in a well.52 in which the car 1 isoperated in its up and down travel as actuated by the elevator motor 25.

Should the motor 25 speed up excessively, there is a cut-out for twophases of the motor, operating automatically. This is effected by line-53 from line 16 to speed control switch 54 on the shaft 48 of the mainmotor 25. As this speed control or fly ball governor switch is open, thecurrent is broken to line 55 extending to upper overtravel switch 56 andthence by line 57 through lower over-travel switch 58 and thence by line59 to emergency switch 60 in the car 1, past" this normally closedswitch 60 by line 61, connected to switch 62, past switch 62 by line 63and line 64 to the power supply line 26. Accordingly a speed opening ofthe switch 54 deenergizes direction switch 22 as well as the main switch15, to cut out phases 28 and 30 of the elevator motor 25 and thus stopsaid motor. It is accordingly seen that these switches 54, 60, 62, aswell as switches 56 and 58, must be closed before the main switch coil14 and the direction switch coil 21 may be energized as the current forenergizing said coils passes by the line 53 to the switch 54.

In the elevator well 52 are disposed cams 65. Carried by the car 1 is apivoted arm 66, normally thrown, by spring 67, to have roller 68 thereonride against the cam 65 in passing such cam. This causes the arm 66 as alever to overcome resistance of spring 69 and close the switch 62. Innormal elevator car travel this closing of the line does not aflect thecoil 14 or the direction coil 21 for there is a bypass from theemergency switch 60 to the line 70, to gate switch 71 and then pastthese gate switches 71 and by way of line 72 to gate machine terminal73, which machine, while the car 1 is in operation, is in closedposition, as shown in Fig.

1. With any landing door open, the switch 71 thereat is openprecludingenergizing of main or direction switch coils. Accordingly this terminal73 is on contact 74 of the gate machine and the current may pass fromthis terminal or contact 74 to contact 75 by way of terminal 76 and line77 to supply line 64, then to power line 26.

Extending from the main line 3, which goes to the controller 2 on thecar 1, is line 78 to switch 79, which, in the motor starting operationof the accelerator motor 32, is closed to make contact or permit currentflow by way of line 80 to coil 81 of relay 82.

armac The current through the coil 81 is completed by line 83 to line 84and gate machine terminal at closed position of the gate by way of theline 77 and the line 64 to the power line 26. This lifting action of therelay coil 81 per- This lifting action of the relay coil 81 per mitscurrent flow in the coil 81 to be maintained even should the switch 79be opened, for this is a bypass from line 78, by line 85 to relaycontact 86 and line 87 to the coil 81. Accordingly the accelerator motor32 may swing back' in its automatic recover after a stopping of themotor 25 by throwing the controller 2 to off position and open theswitch 79 with the relay 82 held closed. This means that in normaltravel of the car 1,

with the controller 2 on, or in driving position, the relay 82 is set.When thecontroller 2 is thrown off, the accelerator shaft 33 will rollback to starting position, but in so doing,

the relay 82 is held in position by the coil 81, for energizing currentis maintained by way of line 83 as to the coil 81 which in the thrownposition of the relay 82 may have current supply from the line 78 by wayof the line 85, the contact 86, and the line 87, notwithstanding theswitch 79 moves to lower position. When the switch 79 has come to lowerposition, current from the line 78 may pass by the line 88 and theswitch 79 to the line 89 by way of contact 90 and line 91. As the car 1is stopped adjacent a landing, such stopping of the car 1 will cause thelever 66 to ride on the can 65 and switch 62 isso thrown'into closedposition that current may flow from the line 91 by way of the line 92,into coil 93 to the line 83 thereby throwing gate-opening switch 94, sothat power supply from power supply lines 9 and 26 may flow respectivelyby way of lines 95, 96, and switch 94 to power supply lines 97.

98, which together with power supply line 99, from the power main 29 mayoperate motor 100.

This elevator gate operating motor 100 is thus energized, and tends torotate the shaft 101, which is released for such rotation by brake coil102, releasing the normally spring set brake on this shaft 101. Thiscoil 102 is between energizing lines 97, 98, to motor 100. As this shaft101 also drives gate opening cam 104, operatively connected tocountor-weighted line 105, extending to pulley 106 there passes runningline or cable 107, over this pulley 106 connected at one end to car gate108, while the other end portion of this running line cable 107 passesto connection 109 at the lower side of the car 1. In such travel to thelower part of the car 1, this cable passes over fixed pulley 110 nearthe bottom of the elevator well 52. As the elevator gate 108 is liftedby the action of this gate motor 100 automatically when the controller 2is thrown to central or off position, this gate 108 is thrust outward bycam 111 so that projection 112 on the gate 108 is engaged withprojection or In 113 on the landing gate 114 thereby causing a liftingof the landing gate. Attached: to the top of the landing gate is cable115 passing over fixed pulle 116 on to counter-weight 117. As the laning gate 114 lifts it opens switch 71. This operation of the gate motor100 1n operating the gate 114 for opening the landing gates of theelevator car also, 111 op erating the gate contact mechanism 103, breaksthe circuit which includes the switches 71 of the landin gate 114. Thelength of the gate machine contact, with which the line 84 is in contactof the gate control mechanism is such that current in energizing thecoil 81 may keep alive until the gate is open or nearl open. Then thebreaking of the current t rough the line 8 1 deenergizes the coil 81 ofthe relay, thereby cutting out the relay or dropping the relay switch.The automatic gate opening occurs only when the car 1 is stopped withthe cam holding the switch 62 closed.

When the passenger has been allowed to enter the car, or the freight orother material has been removed or taken into the car 1 the gates of thelanding and of the car may be closed by operating gate machinecontroller 118 on the car 1 to which extends from the line 3 of thecontroller 2, a line 119 to contact 120, thereby permitting current flowthrough line 121 to energize coil 122 of gate closing switch 123, thenceby line 124 to contact 124',-terminal 76, and the lines 74, 6 1, 26, toreverse the current to the motor 100 and oppositely operate the gatemachine tothereby lower the car gate 108 and simultaneously allow'thelanding gate 114 also to be lowered.

Should the occasion arise for the operator to reopen the gate withoutthe car passing away from the landing, this ma be controlled manually.As before note opening, upon reaching a landing, is automatic. Thismanual control of opening of the gate is efi'ected by throwing the gatecontroller 118 in one direction, so that current supplied from the line3 may flow from the line 119 to line 125, and thence by the line 91 bythe switch 62' and the line 92 to energize the coil 93 of opening switch94 and thereby allowing the gate machine motor 100 to operate to openthe gates. The ates may be closed by throwing the control er 118 in theopposite direction as hereinbefore described. A-very desirable andimportant feature connected with this wiring diagram of an alternatingcurrent electric motor, is, that when the gate is automatically opened,

7 this opening of the gate automatically may occur before the car 1 hasreached an actual landing position, but when a car is approachingalanding position remoteness of this position for gate opening may bede- 'termined by the length of the cam 65. In

practice it may be four or five inches on either side of the floor uponwhich landing is to occur. As stated, the opening of the ates does notoccur unless the controller 2 is thrown to central or off position,because the accelerator motor 32 is holding the switch 79 to precludecurrent flow from the line 88 to the gate openin switch 94.' With thisleeway-away from the anding, permitted by the cam for the automaticopening of the gates, there may be occasion to bring the car to anactual true landing level, and this can bedone independently of thecut-out or interlocking switches 71 of the landing doors when the cam 65is holding'the switch 62 closed. The gates or doors break the linesenergizing the main and direction switch coils, but for the bypass ofswitch 62. As-

suming it is desired to bring the car up a 1 little closer to the floor,the controller 2 is thrown to the contact 10 for energizing the mainswitch coil 14.- and then to contact 17 for energizing the up directionswitch coil 21. This means that power supply current from power supplyline 9 may pass by line 8, upper over-travel switch 7, the line 6, byway of lower over-travel switch 4 and line 3 to the controller 2, thenceby terminal 17 through line 18 to upper over-travel switch 19, by theline 20V to the coil 21 of the up direction 22, by line 16to line 53past speed regulator switch 54, to line 55, past upper over travelswitch 56, by way of line 57, past lower over-travel switch 58to line59, past emergency switch 60 in the car 1 and closed switch 62, asclosed by the cam 65, to; line 63 and thence'by line 64 to the powersupply line' 26. This coaxing or inching of the car to the landing ispermitted in either direction as long as the cam 65 permits energizingcurrent to flow to the direction switch coils for the main elevatormotor 25. Immediately the inching or coaxing of the car for levelinggoes away from the landing to such an extent that the cam 65 is clear ofroller 68, there is at once an opening of the switch 62 therebydeenergizing the main and direction switch coils. Before again startingthe car 1 it is now necessary to close the gate interlock 71' which maybe effected by the gate controller 118 in the car, operating to actuatethe gate machine motor to close the elevator gate on the landing as wellas the one on the elevator car.

In lowering the elevator car 1, the main elevator controller 2 isoperated in the reverse direction from that for operating the car in theup direction and this acts to control downward direction switch 126 forreversing the current to the main motor 25 and thereby effects a reversedirection of the operation for lowering the car 1 in the elevator well52. This switch 126 accordingly acts identically for down directiontravel as does the switch 22 for up direction travel and is controlledby the rocking of the controller 2 on the car 1 in the "oppositedirection from that efiecting the operation of the switch 22.

In the disclosure of the apparatus of the embodiment as brought out inFig. 2 there is not automatic operation for opening the gates at alanding. This opening at a landin is effected by the pressing of a pedal124 in the car 1. This pedal 12? is pivotally mounted on hearing 128 tothe car 1 and its depression throws switches 62 and 90 to bring aboutthe manually controlled operation of operating the gates by line 6making the connection with the gate opening machine. Due to this controlthere is omitted the relay of the apparatus of Fig. 1. This pedal isonly operable to effect openings of the gates when the car is inposition so that the depressing of the pedal 12'? throws the lever 66against the cam 65 to then rock the lever 66 and close the switches 62and 89. Otherwise there is not a gate opening. Accordingly the range ofcontrol is the same as in Fig. 1 and there may be the inching or coaxingof the car to a landing level in the same way as in Fig. 1.

In the simplified showing of Fig. 4 there is no pedal or automaticoperation for opening the gates but a manual opening is permitted onlywhen the car is in a landing position or in range of the landing asshown by the length of cam 65. This omits the accelerator motor 32 asedecting control through the relay of Fig. 1 and the interlock of Fi 2.

In the installation of the wiring diagram as shown in Fig. 4:,notwithstanding that it is simplified as to the mode of gate control,requiring a manual operation for throwing in the gate machine motor 100for opening as well as for closing the gates within a certain range ofthe floor or landing, so that there may be, in this range, a control ofthe car 1 in actually bringing this car 1 to the landing or starting thecar away from the landing for this short distance until the gate isclosed or until the ate is open as the case may be. However, t e car 1may not get beyond the control distance of the cam with the gate open.This is a feature permitting a saving of time in high speed passengeroperations so that the operator of the car through the controller 118may be closing the gate at the same time the car is getting under waythrough the controller 2 or the operator may open the gate at the sametime that he is bringing the car to a stop at a landing. This timesaving advantage is true of all the embodiments herein disclosed.

The showing in Fig. 5 is still more simplified in that here there is notinterconnected any power using machine with the gate device. In thisinstallation the gates may be tarmac operated by manual means or anyother means. The showing is such that it need not be interconnected. Inthe previous disclosures of Figs. 1, 2. and 4, the gate opening machinehas been connected or interlocked with other apparatus. Herein with thisde vice of Fig. at once the controller 2 is thrown to central position.the ates may be opened and while the gates are being 0 ened the carcontroller 2 may be shifted to ring the car to a landing position incontrolling motor 25. (lontrariwise. the car 1 may be started away froma'landing while the gates are closing. However, the distance of such cartravel is limited here by the cam 65 as in the other instances.

Accordingly in the disclosures of these several forms of wiringdiagrams, there is permitted a control of the elevator car bringing saidcar to an accurate landing position independently of the position of thegates, Whether opened or closed so far as the car is in a certaindetermined range or distance of the actual landing to be made. Thiscondition of control interlocking permitting the car to be shifted ashort distance without allowing the operator to run a dangerous distanceaway from the landing, as herein before pointed out, permits a highspeed of operation and the operator to definitely locate a landing, andin so doing there is actual taking care of the conditions of varyingloads, making the landing accurate for any condition and making itpossible for the operator, without any great strain or exceeding skillto work into quite nice opera tion with very little training What isclaimed and it desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A motor, a controller for the motor, a member to be driven by themotor in a definite path, and an interlock limiting the controllereffectiveness in permitting the motor to drive the member in locatingpositions for stopping of the member at predetermined positions in saidpath.

2. A motor, a car to be driven by the motor in a definite path, acontroller on the car, and an interlock limiting the controllereffectiveness for driving the car in locating positions for stopping thecar at predetermined positions in said path.

3. A motor, a, car to be driven by the motor, a controller on the car,cut-out means for the controller, and means controlled by i elevator carin the. well, power means for actuating the car, a controller for thepower means, a gate shiftable to permit access to the car from alanding, cut-out means operable by the open gate to render thecontroller ineffective, and means between the car and well forby-passing the cut-out means.

6. An electric motor, a well having landings, an elevator car in thewell, alternating current power means for actuating the car, acontroller for the power means, a first switch for cutting out thecontroller, and a second switch automatically effective within a rangeof travel of the car for bypassing the first switch for permitting themotor to operate the car.

7. An electric motor, a well having landings, an elevator car in thewell, electric current power means for actuating the car, a controllerfor the power means, a ate to permit access to the car from a lan ing, aswitch operable by the opening of the gate to cut out the controller,and a second switch automatically closed by the position of the caradjacent a landing for by-passing the open gate switch to permit thecontroller to operate the motor.

8. An elevator car landing leveler comprising a motor for the car, aswitch opened by the gate to cut out the motor, and a cutin switchadjacent landing position of the car coacting with the car to permitby-passing of the gate opened switch for limited car travel operation ofsaid motor.

An elevator car landing leveler comprising a motor for actuating thecar, a

a controller for actuating the car, a switch operable by the landinggate to cut out the controller, and a switch operable by the position ofthe car to cut in the controller in a limited range of travel for thecar adjacent said landing.

10. An elevator car landing leveler comprising a car, a motor foractuating the car, a landing gate for the car, a car controller for themotor, an actuator for the landing gate, a gate controller for theactuator, a cut-out switch for the car controller when the gatecontroller is operated to open the gate, and a cut-in switch for the carcontroller dis sed to coact with the car adjacent sai -landing in arange of limited car travel.

11. An elevator car landing leveler includin a motor, in combinationwith an open ending gate cut-out means forj the motor of a limited cartravel cut-in means for the motor.

12. An elevator car landing leveler including a motor, in combinationwith an open landing gate cut-out switch for the motor of a limited cartravel cut-in switch for the motor.

13. Elevator operation apparatus to getthe car under speed embodying acar gate, cut-out means controlled by the gate, and means for bypassingthe cut-out meansadjacent the landing for the car.

14. An elevator car, an electric motor therefor, a controller for themotor, a switch permitting limited travel of the motor adjacent alanding for getting the car under way before the gate is closed, and anadditional switch connecting the controller up for complete operationwhen the gate is closed.

15. An elevator shaft having a landing, an elevator car in the shaft, amotor for the car, a controller for the motor including connections fromthe car to the motor, a landing gate provided with cut-out means for thecar motor connections, and coacting means between the shaft and caradjacent a landing permitting limited by-passing of the landing cut-outby the controller connections.

16. An elevator shaft having a landing, an elevator car in the shaft, amotor for the car, a controller for the motor including connections fromthe car to the motor, a landing gate provided with cut-out means for thecar motor connections, a gate operating motor, and coacting meansbetween the shaft and car adjacent a landing permittlng limitedby-passing of the landing cut-out by the controller connections andeffecting control of the gate operating motor.

17. An elevator shaft having a landing, an elevator car in the shaft, 3.motor for the car, a controller for the motor including connections fromthe car to the motor, a landing gate provided with cut-out means for thecar motor connections, a gate operating motor, and coacting meansbetween the shaft and car adjacent a landing ermitting limitedby-passing of the lan ing cut-out by the controller connections andcoacting for automatically operating the gate motor in opening the gate.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

ERNEST B. THURSTON.

